Deadly Secrets
by JasperSellene
Summary: Ivan Braginski is a mafia lord and is used to hurting others to get what he wants. Yao is a mysterious newcomer in town. He hates corruption with his whole being and has a plan to take the top dogs of the criminal world down. Ivan soon enters the top of his to go list and the war is on. Neither is about to back down and both have a lot to learn. RoChu with many side pairings.
1. Prologue: New in Town

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves  
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:  
All mimsy were the borogoves,  
And the mome raths outgrabe.

The street was busy and packed with people hustling down the sidewalk from every direction. They all had somewhere to go and no one spared a glance for the slim Asian man who had just stepped off the bus.

His beautiful dark eyes surveyed his surroundings and a small smile pulled at his lips.

This was exactly as he had imagined it to be, a huge city full of people. Some of them good law abiding citizens, the others dirty criminals.

It was the later kind that would need to watch out for him.

Momentarily his mind flashed to a face much like his, but more outgoing. He cringed and shut it down not wanting to think about it. He tossed his long shiny hair behind his shoulder, too painful.

With purpose he joined the crowd heading to his new workplace first.

He had a purpose, yes. His fists imperceptibly clenched, he was going to show the criminal world that they couldn't just mess with good people and get away with it.

~^.^~

Three streets down completely unaware of the force of nature that would someday come his way Ivan Braginski conducted his business as usual.

"Kolkolkolkol. So tell me comrade how long did you think you could cheat me? How long did you think it would take Mother Russia to discover your treachery?"

Ivan's violet eyes were the only thing glowing in the dark room. The outline of a trembling man lay on the cement ground below him, whimpering.

"P-please!" he begged, "I just did what he told me to do! I swear it wasn't my idea!"

The mafia lord sighed, why did they all use this excuse? "Francis, if you would please," he ordered indifferent.

A man with shoulder length blond hair emerged from the dark and held a gun up to the whiner's head only causing the man to shake and sob more. "Please! P-p-please…"

"Just tell me the name of your ring leader."

"Ravis Galante! The Italians promised to get him into England to live with his lover or some shit like that!"

Ivan sat up now highly interested. "The Italians? Ravis, Ravis, Ravis what kind of trouble have you been up to?" he chuckled, "Thank you comrade. Francis if you would please show this man some peace."

The poor excuse for a human didn't have time to react before the trigger was pulled. Brain matter and blood exploded across the room and the Frenchman's blue eyed companion wrinkled his nose in distaste from back in the shadows.

"A war with Roma…" Ivan mused, "How fun this will be." His face lit up with childish delight.

Too bad a war with his fellow mafia wasn't what he should have been worrying about.

~^.^~

Yao walked the streets stopping every once in a while to take a picture. People of every shape, size, and color passed by him as he snapped away on his camera. He stopped smiling widely as he flipped through what he'd already caught on film.

He loved streets, they told so much about the place they were in. This busy street depicted perfectly the fast lane way of life the city personified. His editor would love these.

Yao had always wanted to work for a newspaper, one that delivered real news. _Newburg Gazette _tried its best to give the public good relating news, often being thwarted by local thugs and police men. The editor had hired Yao under the condition that he could turn things around to their favor.

Yao had promised much, much more, but it was too soon to mention that.

~^.^~

Ivan lounged in an outdoor chair, motioning to the nearby waiter to refill his drink. It was early morning yet and the heat of the day wasn't quiet present.

He was bored to say the least. Ravis had safely made it out of the country before Ivan's men could rip him to shreds and there were no more leads on Roma's movement through Newburg.

He'd been looking for some fun, but fate just had other plans.

*Sigh* Oh well, Ivan supposed the excitement of hiding from his overly attached sister would have to do for now. He took a sip from whatever beverage was in his hand, he couldn't even remember now, and caught sight of a bouncing glare across the street.

He studied the reflective object until the blur settled into the shape of a slim Asian man holding a camera, smiling softly.

He looked like a reporter, black pants, loose black tie, black jacket, white dress shirt, and his hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail. In general reporters were people Ivan loved to manipulate, and manipulation meant fun.

He grinned wickedly as the man became a blur again, rapidly taking pictures like a squirrel on crack.

"Eduard, comrade, tell me who that interesting man across the street is."

The slight bookish man adjusted his glasses as he looked over at his employer in surprise. He too looked at the swift Asian before typing away on his computer.

"His name is Yao Wang, Wang Yao if you want to say it the traditional way," Eduard stated, "he is from a small town back west and his parents were Chinese immigrants. He dual majored in photography and journalism in college, and moved out here to work with the _Newburg Gazette._"

As if sensing the eyes on him Yao turned and met the Russian's gaze and frowned. Petulantly he turned his back on the other man and continued to take pictures.

"Hhhhmmm," Ivan grunted crossly, he'd had trouble with that newspaper a lot in the past. They forever strived to stick their noses in everyone's business and make their lives a living hell. Himself in particular and they wouldn't accept bribes. He'd had to resolve to threatening family members to keep them quiet.

Suddenly the man across the street seemed much less interesting and like a lot of work. He wondered if he could take care of this one before he got any ideas.

"Bring him to me," he ordered gruffly, Francis and another man, Toris started to make their way through traffic.

Yao wasn't intimidated in the least and the Russian businessman could see the Asian reporter put his hands on hips and start to argue. He didn't stand down until a smirking Francis gestured to the seated Ivan watching them.

Ivan couldn't help but grin again, clearly those dark eyes held some fire. He kept the grin menacing as Yao sat down across from him fuming.

"What is the meaning of this aru!" the sentence was more of an exclamation than a question.

_Aru?_ Ivan thought keeping his face in control, _how cute._

"Well it is like this da?" Ivan beamed frighteningly, "I couldn't help but hear you were new in town comrade, and working for _Newburg Gazette _no less. Since the Gazette and I are such good friends I thought I'd welcome you town!"

At that Francis and Toris jumped Yao taking his camera and smashing it to pieces.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" the poor reporter shrieked in distress.

Ivan pouted, "We are just welcoming you, what's all the fuss?"

Yao threw up his hands at the larger man crying, "Who in their right mind would be perfectly all right with being drug around and then threatened by a bunch of thugs?"

The Russian laughed, "Your boss was, we gave him a proper welcoming, even better than yours da? He smiled and was perfectly polite but unfortunately he took over the _Gazette_ right after."

Yao felt pride well in his chest at this mention of his tough employer, becoming even deader set on his goals. "Welcome?" He asked mildly afraid of the answer.

"Da, and a warning to be careful," Ivan's purple eyes began to sparkle, "It's a dangerous town and we wouldn't want anything to _happen_ to you now would we?"

Yao's eyes lit aflame at these words. Mental images of bashing the Ruskie's head into his expensive drink crossed his mind but were immediately discarded for obvious reasons. There were too many witnesses and hit men that weren't his. Stiffly he stood up from the table and left with a rim rod back silent as the grave.

Ivan watched him go with a sadistic smile on his face.

"Kolkolkolkolkol, that was too much fun!"

~^.^~

Night fell over the city like a bucket of acid water, sudden, cold, and terrible.

A small orange light lit a lonely apartment room. Feathers, paper, and other random objects were scattered across the room and Yao stood amongst it tears streaming down his face.

HOW DARE HE?! HOW DARE THAT RUSSIAN BASTARD TRY AND SABATAGE HIM!?

An already torn pillow flew from his fingers and more down came out of it as it slammed against the wall.

Yao stood fists clenched, his chest heaving, unbound hair spilling into his face, and breaths angrily ragged as he made a cursed promise.

Ivan Braginski would regret the day he tried to break down Wang Yao.

Resolutely he shrugged on his coat, put his hair back up, grabbed his spare camera and set out into the cruel dark in search of his next victim.

After all why not keep that promise now rather than later?

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!  
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!  
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun  
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

**Hello all once again! I had this plot bunny eating away at my brain for a while and it seemed legit. I hope you think so too! I've edited and combined what was the first two chapters of this story so maybe they won't be so lame! :'(**


	2. Blood

"Kolkolkolkol."

The spooky laugh penetrated the darkness and reverberated off of the metal walls. Fear crept up the spines of five men that lay on their knees in the diminutive light. Their faces contorted in terror as figures moved among the shadows around them.

"So Roma thought he could send you to take me down did he?"

Violet eyes volatile and poisonous glowed as they emerged from the gloom. The shuddering men thought that no mortal's eyes should shine like that. The ones in the dark hardly noticed, after all it was no secret that their boss was less than human. He was a monster.

The eyes closed or disappeared, it was unclear which, and the men on the slab felt a mixture of relief. Thank God! They prayed and two of them sobbed, anything was better than those eyes.

Well, almost anything.

A Cheshire grin of startlingly sharp teeth appeared right in front of one of the crying ones.

"How very naïve," a childish voice giggled and the man screamed.

The lights began to swing for no apparent reason and a glittering axe swung forward silencing the loud noise. Blood painted the floor and the other sacrificial lambs.

Ivan laughed joylessly and the sound was joined by petrified shrieks and begs for mercy. He swung ripping up the spine of a man who was trying to run away. It was a dark horrific dance occasionally spotlighted by the still moving light and the demon like Russian loved it. His men stayed along the sidelines as he did all the work because he felt good today. Why not enjoy himself every once in a while?

His feet gracefully moved across the blood slick floor taking them out one by one until the only the last lamb remained trembling in the corner.

"Oh what fun!" Ivan exclaimed lifting the axe once more.

~^.^~

In the rafters sat an unexpected guest.

Slanted brown eyes watched the horror as slender fingers snapped photos. After a satisfactory amount were taken the SD card was removed from the camera, pink lips pushed out abc gum and the slim fingers placed it onto the side of the card before the whole thing was put into his ponytail. A new SD card was placed into the camera.

Silently so as not to be heard above the screaming he quickly jumped from rafter to rafter until he was a long distance away from his original position. The camera was again in action snapping pictures of the spectacle before him.

Five minutes passed until a cold metal tip was pressed into the back of his neck.

"No flash photography allowed," an accented female voice growled.

~^.^~

"Monsieur," a soft voice broke into Ivan's bubble of joy ruining the moment, "Eduard has just contacted us about an attack on our firewall. It is currently unclear whether it is FBI or another mafia."

Ivan frowned disappointed. Someone always had to take the fun out of things didn't they? Oh well, work was work and it needed done.

"Then it would make sense for us to meet up with our comrade to solve this problem da?"

Francis nodded before going on, "Alfred called two hours ago; apparently the local police are getting snoopy in Londres so he'll have to stay a while longer to "clean" up things there. You're little Canadian is being compliant though." Well that was good news at least.

"Big brother!" Ivan froze at the sound of the voice and almost _fearfully_ turned towards it.

"Yes Natalia?"

The blonde girl threw forward a noncompliant Yao who glared at the imposing Russian in front of him.

"I found him hiding with this." She tossed a camera forward; Toris caught it and handed it over to his boss. Ivan turned the device on and flipped through the documentation of his hideous crime. He grinned, they were quite good! Yao was a talented photographer; he captured Ivan in such a flattering way! A lesser version of the Cheshire grin formed, pleased, but still the Asian man needed punishing yes he did.

"Bring him with us."

Yao huffed, what a waste of time.

~^.^~

Yao was still huffing three hours later. He had been shoved into the back of a car with tinted windows, and driven across the city to a huge office building. From there that hideous Frenchman had led him to an elevator and could not seem to keep his hands to himself. To Yao the trip seemed to be taking longer than it should, especially when he felt a hand on his rear for the _fourth_ time.

"Will you stop that aru! It is so unprofessional!" The shorter of the two shouted.

"But mon ami," the blonde's voice suddenly sounded cold, "I am nothing but professional." Something dangerous flashed in the man's blue eyes and Yao decided he should probably keep his mouth shut. Thankfully the Frenchman didn't touch him again until they were in Ivan's office and he handcuffed his prisoner to a chair.

That was an hour and a half ago and Yao's impatience had only grown.

He had work tomorrow! He needed to sleep so that he could get his article written and get his pictures organized to turn in!

He dropped his head onto the desk with an audible thump and a sigh.

What a waste of time.

He went back to fiddling with the paper weights on the desk to amuse himself. He'd already figured that he had thirty minutes till Kaoru was done messing with the mob's computers (or attacking their firewall as Frenchie had said earlier) so he'd searched the desk finding hidden compartments with papers and such. He'd carefully put everything back mentally storing the information he gathered.

Yao prayed that his brother could successfully pull off the stunt without getting hurt. He'd asked the computer nerd to hack the Russian's databases and screw with their systems. They both knew the buildings where the Ruskies did business but there was no guarantee that they could predict which they would be taken to. So Kao just hit them all while his boyfriend, Emil, across town and worked to shield their whereabouts and identities. The whole situation hurt the Chinese man's head so he didn't over analyze the details.

Despite the covert affairs, Yao was still bored and was messing with a ball point pen. The "click-click-click" filled the room while he bounced it off the desk.

He didn't notice the Russian when he came in and Ivan just watched the oddly childish actions of the Asian. He couldn't suppress a giggle when Yao accidently lost control of the pen and sent it flying across the room. Yao jumped at the sound, sat up quickly trying to look calm and professional, and failing miserably.

"I see you're finally back aru."

"Da!" Ivan didn't elaborate and made Yao scowl. Neither spoke, they just stared and dared the other to break the silence. Ivan's shoulder hurt from swinging the axe so wildly earlier, and Yao's hair started to tickle his nose but they didn't move.

The door creaked open a little and both men tensed.

"Sir?" A quiet voice spoke softly, "The room is ready." A man in a green suit spoke timidly but steady.

Ivan's smile became smaller but somehow he looked even happier than before and much more, mischievous and bloodthirsty. "This is good! Now you can see your punishment!" Yao's eye twitched very much unamused.

~^.^~

The basement was cold and but concrete with piping that ran along the ceiling. Cell doors lined the dark hallway; some were locked while some stood wide open showing their dreary interiors. The entire place was silent, disturbingly so. Yao felt his stomach twist; his heart beat faster as he imagined the fate of those locked in this place.

Everything seemed to be running in slow motion as they turned to a partly open door and the man from before reached out and swung it open. Yao's heart froze at the sight. Blood was splattered onto every wall and pooled under a dead body that lay on a cot along the left wall. Half of the man's, that's what he thought it was anyway, face was missing and his ribs on the right side were pulled open revealing an empty cavity where his heart should have been. Upon closer inspection Yao found it beside the bed as if it was carelessly dropped there after removal.

A memory unbidden rose in his mind and he used it to fuel his strength. Ivan was trying to scare him, challenge him into submission.

It wasn't going to work.

His face grew stony and he steeled his heart.

Ivan watched this with searching eyes. He was amazed, not many people could look on a scene like this without losing it.

"Take pictures," he spoke softly and the smaller man turned to him in astonishment, "dazzle me with your remarkable talents and unbreakable composure." At that he threw his prisoner a new camera and leaned against the wall to watch. Yao took the equipment and studied his surroundings. For a second the other two thought he would chicken out but he surprised them by stepping towards the body first. He took a breath closing his eyes and concentrating his focus. Then he began to capture the gruesome scene. Ten minutes later he was done and Ivan was impressed and trying not to let it show. He swiftly caught the shiny black tool as it was thrown back to him and he turned the device back on.

"We will print these pictures, and then we will see if you live to see tomorrow da?"

Yao nodded resolute.

The Chinese man wanted to point out yet another hour and a half later while looking over the professionally printed pictures, that it was already tomorrow. Four in the morning to be exact and he had to be to work at seven thirty. He wondered if Mr. Zwingli would give him the day off…. Needless to say he was too exhausted to judge his work. Ivan and the man, Toris he'd learned, looked as alert as ever and studied each print with exacting care. Yao just sat barley paying attention as he started drifting off, even forgetting about the cigarette in his hand.

Toris reviewed each picture with business like interest, Ivan flashed between an impressed expression and a cold calculating one. Yao figured that could be a problem but was too tired to care.

A pile of prints were thrown his way and he jerked awake as they hit his lap.

"You will take these and have them printed on tomorrow's paper," Ivan commanded. "Today you get to walk away unharmed." Ivan was unhappy about this but if he hurt the photographer now then his plans for later would fall through.

"Go now." Toris advised and Yao took off not needing to be told twice.

A pit formed in his stomach as he looked over his shoulder at the office building. He would be paying for this later.

~^.^~

Vash Zwingli sat in angered silence as his newest employee relayed to him the latest news.

"So what are we going to do?" The long haired man questioned.

"Print the pictures of course, we have no choice. Besides he was a valued member of our press and we will honor him as such."

Vash vowed to never lose another employee like this again.

~^.^~

Yao laid in finally hit the bed six hours later. He'd gone straight to Mr. Zwingli's office after the mafia ordeal and the man had let him off work early. The closed curtains kept most of the dark out and the room's dimness reminded him of the eerie dungeon. He should really be more afraid then he was, especially since every time he closed his eyes he saw blood splatter, swinging lights, and feral grins. His mind began to drift off into nether lands of sleep and he dreamed of purple eyes that glowed in the dark and constantly shifted from emotion to emotion like a child's. Subconsciously he realized the trouble he was in. Things had escalated quickly.

He really should be more afraid.

**I'm sorry about my loooong break but I had a huge history project that was due yesterday and (I know this sounds cliché and over used) a major case of writer's block. Since it's over I should be able to get back into updating regularly until finals! Tell me truly, did you miss me? **


	3. Mystery Awaken

**This is a flash back to the same night as last chapter. It's what everyone else was doing! :D**

Smartly dressed a pretty young lady stood under the bright light of a streetlamp. She had her coat collar pulled up around her face and watchful blue eyes peered over her half rimmed glasses. She stood still and relaxed but somehow she seemed on edge and impatient. The tense air intensified as a shorter girl with yellow hair casually came to stand next to her. The girl looked meekly at the ground before quietly speaking.

"Ego veni Athenas," pause, "The troops are moving and both sides are advancing on one another. The cold ones* are putting up their defenses, a _Gazette_ worker is dead. The children of the sun* are bribing help from within the enemy encampment."

"Hmmm…" The taller of the two mused, "Is that all?"

"No, we have a new player."

"Oh? Do they value wisdom*?"

"No, they are a diamond in the rough* and are more than they appear."

"Thank you Lili that will be all." The blue eyed lady moved forward in finality.

"Angelique?" she turned back to towards the voice, "Things are going to be dangerous now, aren't they?"

Angelique blinked in surprise.

"They are always dangerous. Appetitores de notitiis occultis*."

"Long live."

Both women disappeared into the night.

~^.^~

Ivan sat alone in the office Yao had inhabited earlier. He watched the car lights illuminate the night as they zoomed by. He rested his chin on his clasped hands and contemplated.

Yao Wang.

Wang Yao.

What an interesting person.

Who was he?

Where was he from?

What was he doing in this city working for one of the most controversial newspapers they had to offer?

Sighing he sat back in his chair admitting defeat.

There were too many questions and not enough information to formulate answers.

~^.^~

Lovino gasped as his lover smoothly slid into him and sent throbs of pleasure through his body. That's one thing he loved about Antonio he never just slammed or pounded into him. His movements were always fluid, passionate, and hopelessly Spanish.

"Say it, say my name," Tony breathed seductively into his ear.

"T-ah! Ton-nh!" Lovi tried but the Spaniard picked up the pace making it impossible for him to form coherent words.

"No, my full name querido."

"B-bastard! AH!"

Antonio chuckled, "Now now, corazón you can do it."

"Antonio." Tony felt his body shiver in surprise at the alluring pant in his lover's voice as he said his name. "What?" the boy gasped, "You like that, _Tony_?"

Lovino started a mantra of Antonios till the Spaniard couldn't stand it and pulled him into a tight embrace. His fingers searched out the Italian's shaft and worked it over to make him cum first. Lovino's back arched and he spurt white all over their stomachs. Antonio gratefully followed.

The two lay in bed barely covered by the sheets and Antonio pulled out a cigarette. He took a puff before offering it to Lovino.

"You have to fix it with them you know."

Lovi's hands froze with the stick in front of his face.

"No I don't," he snarled.

"Amore! They're your familia!"

"I wor-"

"Work for them I know! But it's not enough. They love you Lovi and they need their son back not another employee!"

Lovino huffed but didn't answer him. If he thought it was possible to go back to his family he would have. The best he could do was help them as much as he could with the information he got from working at the _Gazette_.

Tony watched the confliction eat away at his querido's face.

"Lo-" he got out before the door opened and he was cut off. A blonde head poked in and a friendly girl's form giggled up at them.

"Belle!" Lovino shrieked trying to cover himself up, "What the hell?!"

The Belgian just laughed and shook her head. "Mr. Zwingli called; he needs you in the office a.s.a.p."

"Grazie now, GET OUT!"

Belle ran away laughing manically.

"Gracias!" Antonio yelled over the frustrated Italian.

~^.^~

Eight A.M. wasn't really that early, but the way all the employees were yawning it might as well be. Vash facepalmed and got right down to business.

"One of our own was murdered by the Braginskis. He's been missing for a few weeks now but he'd been ordered to get out of town so no one thought twice about it." He waited a moment to make sure everyone was listening. "They basically ordered us to print the picture evidence of the crime. Yao has handled that." He passed the copies around.

Their faces were grime as they studied the photos.

"This room could be any basement or warehouse," Gupta commented.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"He'll probably toss the body in one of these "anywhere" places and be ready to defend himself if I should step forward to point the finger at him when it's discovered," Yao growled.

"That'd be especially difficult because of the Lars incident a few years ago," Lili threw in. Everyone mumbled about this.

Antonio stiffened at the mention of the deceased man and Lovino grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Yao, you can go home if you want," Vash murmured uncharacteristically gentle, "You've got your job done."

Yao halted and shook his head vigorously. His boss sighed and let it go.

"All right people here's what's going to happen," He commanded, "Vargas you need to go talk you your grandfather in the mob. He's been mobilizing against the Russians and we could use information and some protection from them." He handed Lovino a manila envelope, "This is what we have on that Ivan bastard. Trade it for whatever they have."

The Italian nodded in agreement.

"Carriedo?"

"Yes sir?"

"You still have contacts with the underground?"

Antonio blinked, "Why of course señor."

"Good, I need you to find out what's going on down there about this. See what they know."

"Si señor."

"Gupta, when they get what they can, I need you to make an article about it. It needs to be good. It needs to be clear Braginski is to blame without actually saying his name, got it?"

The Egyptian tilted his head in accord.

"Angelique?"

"Sir?"

"Take the day off."

"Oui, merci."

"What about me big bruder?" Lili broke in.

Vash drew himself up to a fully commanding stance, "Stay out of this sister. It's too dangerous for us to throw all of our people in at once and I need to know you are safe."

Lili's eyes darkened in anger and her hands balled up into fists, "You can't do that!"

"I can and I will, Angelique, keep an eye on her."

Angelique didn't answer but Vash exited the room anyway.

"Everyone get on it!" He yelled in finality.

A pregnant silence weighted the room down.

"Well this should be fun!" Tony smiled to the group and everyone groaned apprehensively.

~^.^~

"These are the movements of the Russians through the city." Lovino sat in a dimly lit smoky room and Roma Vargas, leader of the Italian Mafia and his own grandfather, sat across the table from him.

A large blond man stood behind the Capo eyeing the door cautiously. He hid a large variety of guns and knives on him and a protective instinct for Roma that was a little bit stronger than that of an average bodyguard. Lovino and Roma both stared at him before the elder sighed and turned back to the conversation at hand.

"The Russians are hard to track," Roma said flicking ash off the tip of his cigar, "We've had some tattlers give us some information but it's nothing we can get them on. That's best we can give you." Lovino sighed, _what a waste of time_. Roma studied him for a second. "Give me the information you have." His grandson knew better than to question him and handed over the envelope.

"They're getting ready to attack. It seems our declarations of war haven't gone unnoticed at least. Can't tell on the outside, they act like we barely stirred them up. It's going to be a hornets' nest now. They'll be on the move even more and will put down problems a lot quicker. You tell your boss to be careful or he'll end up on the chopping block." Lovino leaned forward engrossed in his grandfather's words. Roma inwardly chuckled. "The men Yao saw him kill, they were his own. He knows about the traitors and is probably still rooting them out."

Roma took another drag on his cigar. "I can tell you one more thing."

"What?"

"That new photographer you have, Ivan's interested in him. He has plans for that Asian and it could cause problems for the _Gazette_ if you aren't careful."

Lovino slumped forward, "Thank you for your time." He stood up.

"Romano."

He turned stiffly at the old name.

"We miss you here. We're short on good people. Besides, you were always meant to be one of us."

"Yes grandpa." The door closed softly behind him.

Roma dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his temples tiredly.

"I'm getting too old for this," he mumbled.

"Oh course Herr Vargas," the burly man answered.

The boss chortled "You didn't seem so very suspicious of Lovino, Aldrich."

"He is your grandson. My grandsons and I have had our fights too and while neither have ever pointed a gun at me I know that Lovino just needs some time and space."

"He won't come back to the family."

"I don't think he thinks he deserves to."

Roma sighed again and stood to wrap his arms around Aldrich. He buried his head into the other man's shoulder breathing in his scent, "What would I do without you, you stiff German bastardo?"

~^.^~

Lili fiddled with her skit as she stood in front of the Braginski house hold. She waited until the door opened and a servant, she'd seen pictures of him his name was Toris, answered.

"Hello," he greeted uncertainly, "do you have business here?"

"Oh!" Lili smiled winningly, "Yes I do, could you tell Mister Ivan that his сдачей крови is here?"

Toris stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the young girl who stood smiling on the doorstep. A girl who had just told him in code, a code no one except the Russian mob should know, that she had information on traitors in said Russian mob.

"P-please come in…" He stood and let her through the door.

"Oh thank you!" she grinned widely and skipped into the hallway.

"I'll let him know you're here," Toris ground out and hurried off.

Time passed unbearably slow. Lili started to look around the lavish house. Coat hangers, paintings, burgundy carpet….She noticed a gold gilded mirror by the door and studied it wondering why it stuck out so much to her.

Abruptly an ear piercing scream shattered the quiet and a bloodied man was drug through the hall before her. His features were undistinguishable through the blood covering from his head to his toes. He looked thin to Lili, painfully so and she thought she could see his broken ribs through the gory splatter. The French hit man drug him by his bound arms down through a door to a shadowed basement.

Her hands covered her mouth as she watched the spectacle in horror.

"Well that was fairly nasty da?" A large voice startled her from behind and she spun around only to come face to face with Ivan Braginski.

"Простите, I didn't mean to startle you. Come I've been told you have things to discuss with me?" She dumbly nodded and followed him into what looked like a small dining room. Toris pulled out a chair for her to sit it, but she waited till Ivan was seated first.

"Now," he said, "What do you know?"

"Names," her tone mean business. Ivan tilted his head to the side.

"Oh?"

"The names of men leaking information to the Italians."

"Ah, did you see something on the street and now you want to exchange what you learned to pay off mommy and daddy's debts? What is your price?"

"I don't want money," Lili stated, "I want information."

"What good would that do you?" Ivan snarled harshly leaning forward in his seat.

"I work for the _Gazette." Please don't kill me, please oh please don't kill me._

Realization dawned on Ivan then, "You're Vash Zwingli's little sister." He grinned wickedly, "Does _big bruder_ know you're here with me?"

"That is none of your business," Lili snapped coldly her heart beating frantically.

Ivan laughed, "I never thought I would see the day a worker of his would come peacefully to me, but you're trying to prove yourself da? No tell me what are you willing to sacrifice to gain something in return?"

"It depends on what your price is."

"Tell me about Wang Yao."

Lili sat back in disbelief, "The photographer?"

"Da."

"He's very good… he brought your photos in this morning before dawn. His work ethic is amazing….. I don't know that much about him really…."

Ivan feigned hurt and surprise, "_My_ photos? What photos? You're not trying to pin the blame of some horrid crime on me now are you?"

The reporter in Lili escaped then and she pulled a pen and paper pad out of her pocket. "Why don't you tell me about how the blame keeps getting pinned on you? How do you feel about being under suspicion for this crime?"

Ivan chuckled, "You might want to tell me about what the crime is first. After all if I'm innocent I wouldn't know what's on those pictures, da?"

Lili blushed, "Of course!" She proceeded to explain.

~^.^~

An hour later and the interview had winded down.

"Thank you for your time Mr. Braginski." She stood to shake his hand, not flinching when it was freezing.

"Any time Ms. Zwingli, do tell your brother I said Hello."

"Oh I will," she giggled and dropped an envelope onto his desk before smiling brightly and skipping out the door.

Ivan had to say he was impressed. The girl had managed to get quite a lot of information from him. Some of it was true, some false, some he'd just thrown to her, and some she'd genuinely been able to wheedle from him before he knew what was happening. He giggled dangerously as he opened the letter she'd left.

It was too bad she'd be dead before she got back to her brother.

The envelope opened easily and Ivan froze at its contents. A plain white sheet of paper with one name in elegant scrawl was inside.

That font, he'd only seen it in one other place, "Appetitores de notitiis occultis," he murmured in awe.

He picked up his phone, "Toris?"

"Yes sir?"

"Call Francis back from pursuing Ms. Zwingli and tell him to come here. I have a new assignment for him."

"Yes sir."

Damn, Ivan sighed inwardly, now he couldn't possibly kill the girl.

~^.^~

Hours later it was dark again. Lili and Angelique sat in the dark of the Monacan's apartment room.

"He has Aleksander Balakov* and is torturing him for information on us."

Angelique sighed, "It is sad when one of our own is captured. We will have to extract our revenge carefully….Whose name did you give him?"

"Vladimir's*, since Aleksander was his lover I figured it wouldn't be long until Vlad did something reckless and was caught anyway."

"Regrettable but the damage is minimal. You did well Lili."

"Thank you, if only big bruder thought so too."

Vash had said nothing as Lili had come back with her interview from Ivan. Although he didn't openly criticize and allowed the information to be used his displeasure was evident.

"He is trying to look out for you. Remember he doesn't know you are one of us," the elder of the two reminded her.

"Angelique," Lili whispered reaching for her mentor, "M-"

"Don't." _You know better._

Reluctantly Lili pulled her hand back. She hesitated but placed a small kiss on Angel's lips nonetheless.

Angelique allowed one tear to fall after the door was shut.

Outside the rain started to descend, lightning flashed, and thunder bashed through the air.

~^.^~

The streets were busy the next morning. Copies of the _Newburg Gazette_ were in almost everyone's hands. The headlines read **BODY DISCOVERED IN WAREHOUSE BASEMENT**.

"Did you hear about the murder?" A young person asked.

"Who hasn't!" Another gruffer voice answered.

"I hear it was the Russians again, getting back at the _Gazette_."

"They didn't say anything about that…"

"Yeah but read the paper, all the evidence points at Braginski!"

An older wiser voice broke into the conversation, "Yeah but he'll get away with it. Owns the whole god damn town that bastard does…"

"Still did you see the story on page five, he'll have a hard time getting out of that one…."

~^.^~

Ivan couldn't stop chuckling as he read the morning paper at his favorite café. The sun was still behind clouds and the ground was covered in puddles. He was scaring the crap out of his workers.

Lili and Gupta had done a good job arranging the information in the article to blame him without actually pointing any fingers. He was proud of his enemies!

His smile faded as he turned to already famed page five. A huge picture of him covered in blood and wielding his pipe adorned the page. The headline read, **MURDERER**. Liquid fire shot through his veins. He read the author name. Khaki Undo, a pen name most likely.

Whoever they were they were going to pay.

Toris watched his boss's reaction in resigned silence. He just hoped that the picture was foggy enough that they could find a look alike to pin this on….

**Hello everyone! This was a fairly timely update! :D I wonder what Lars has to do with anything? What did Lovino do to get thrown out of the family? Khaki Undo? Who's that? ;)**

**Guess we'll just have to wait to find out…..**

**TRANSLATIONS**

**The ****cold ones**** (nothing to do with Twilight!) is a code name for the Russians while ****the children of the sun**** are the Italians.**

**Do they value wisdom**** is asking if the newcomer is part of the Undercover Agency that both Lili and Angelique belong to, ****Appetitores de notitiis occultis****, which according to Google Translate means Coveters of Secret Knowledge. ****Diamond in the rough**** means that he might be of use to the Undercovers and that he is more than he seems.**

**сдачей крови**** Blood donation, code for I have bad blood/ traitors to give you ****Простите ****Pardon or I'm sorry**

**Ego veni Athenas**** hopefully means I have come to Athens, which was a Greek city that valued knowledge and learning. It is the Appetitores code for I come for and with information.**

**Aleksander Balakov**** is Bulgaria and ****Vladimir**** is Romania.**


	4. The Con

Wang Yao had spent most of his life preparing for the unexpected. Endless hours of training and learning had taught him almost everything he'd need to know about the subject.

Somehow he still didn't see the early morning kidnapping coming.

In Yao's defense Ivan was murderously unpredictable even to himself.

In Yao's defense he'd just walked out of a bakery and had mere seconds before he was shoved into the back of a car with black tinted windows. (The same one from before if he was correct)

In Yao's defense that cinnamon roll was _very_ delicious and _very_ distracting. Currently that cinnamon roll was plastered all over the sidewalk and Yao _was not happy_.

"Excuse my language but, WHAT THE HELL ARU?!" He turned to see a giggling Francis, a fearful Toris, a stoic Eduard typing at his computer, and a very very very angry Ivan glaring holes into Yao's head.

Yao back pedaled quickly becoming meek and compliant, "Uh-um hello?" He grinned sheepishly.

Ivan grabbed him by his collar shoving a page from yesterday's _Gazette_ paper in his face.

"You be owing me an explanation da?" The Russian smiled and an evil aura surrounding him in dark purple and blue waves. "Why don't we talk about this?" He pushed his face close to Yao's shattering any ideas of personal space.

"What. Is. This? Who. Wrote. It?"

"Well, it's, ah, it would be-" Yao started.

"It is page five of the Newburg Gazette. The already famed, or should I say now infamous, news has spread of the crimes of a nameless homeless man. What is noteworthy is how much the criminal looked like Ivan Braginski, a well-known Newburg business man.

The suspect was found drinking at…"

Everyone stared at Eduard as he rambled on and on. Ivan's face became more and more childlike as his smile grew as did his scary aura.

"Mon ami?"

"Yes Francis?"

"SHUT UP."

The Estonian looked up in surprise. His face slowly started to turn red as he found everyone staring at him.

"R-right."

Yao facepalmed and sighed, "I don't know who wrote it, I'm not privy to the names of our anonymous writers. You'll have to talk to Mr. Zwingli about that."

The mafia lord smiled more gently (but no less terrifying) "You seem to misunderstand me Yao-Yao. Were you or were you not present at the scene in this picture?" A huge finger pointed at the pipe wielding figure on the page.

"I was but I fail to-"

"WHO TOOK THIS PICTURE." It wasn't really a question.

Yao took the page silently and studied the photo.

"I wasn't anywhere near the place this picture was taken from. You checked my camera and SD card. You also patted me down for any others. It wasn't me." He looked Ivan in the face as he said it. Ivan stared back evenly trying to decipher the other man's face.

"But you know who did."

The Chinese man sighed, "_No_, I don't."

"Patron, I think he is telling the truth."

Everyone turned to Francis who had been studying the scene play out quietly. Yao started at him in surprise. Was this criminal defending him?

"Hhhhhmmm," Ivan frowned slightly as he considered his henchman's words. Suddenly he smiled hugely.

"Well, it seems as if we've had a misunderstanding!" He giggled loudly, "I'm not surprised Yao-Yao we've hardly taken the time to get to know each other!" Yao felt dread rise in his stomach.

The Ruskie leaned forward invading the smaller man's space again, "We should remedy this with dinner da?"

The Chinese man went red sputtering, "I-I'm not some woman you sweep off her feet! Aiya!"

Ivan giggled again, "But Yao looks so much like one I couldn't resist! Besides it's a dinner between friends! Silly Yao-Yao!"

"Yao-Yao" deadpanned at the mafia lord's childish enthusiasm, "I am not your friend."

"Why not _Yao-Yao_, we could learn _so much_ from each other."

The two glared into the other's eye neither was willing to back down. Eventually the reporter sighed admitting that it would be in his best interest to accept the offer.

"Fine, but it'll have to be after I get off work."

Purple eyes beamed in delight, "Perfect! I'll pick you up at seven, oh let's say tomorrow is Friday da?' Yao nodded, "Then tomorrow at seven! I look forward to seeing you!"

The car stopped and the door was opened, Yao was not surprised to see he was at the _Gazette's_ doorstep.

"Nowhere fancy!" he yelled through the closing door his only answer was laughter from all within.

"Aiya!" he mumbled and turned to enter the office door.

Back in the car Ivan was studying his French employee.

"Why did you defend him?"

Francis leaned back calmly, lighting a cigarette, "If he knows anything he won't tell you now. Take him out to dinner a few times, badger him about other things and make him think he is out of the woods on this one. Then you can get your answers from him some other way."

The Russian rubbed his chin, "That is actually a good idea da?"

Francis smirked, "I do come up with those every once in a while."

~^.^~

Vash Zwingli made it a priority to uncover the truth. The people deserved to know what was going on in their town and they deserved justice too. He had made it his life goal to bring the mafia's dirty little secrets to light. That and protect his sister with his life.

He had encountered much resistance and trouble on both endeavors so unlike Yao Vash was unsurprised as he was pulled off the concrete back doorstep of his office and onto the leather seats of Ivan's Rolls Royce.

"Ah, how may I help you Mr. Braginski?" He ""asked calmly in the face of a dangerously smiling Russian.

"I have some _questions_ about an employee of yours; does Khaki Undo ring any bells?"

Vash allowed himself a small grin, "Perhaps."

"Francis," Ivan ordered quietly as Zwingli felt warm metal against his ear and heard an audible click of pistol.

"Mon ami, it would be within your best interest to answer the question."

The Swiss man held himself straight and didn't flinch as he glared into purple eyes.

Ivan growled, "No? Doesn't ring any bells? Maybe little Lili's blood can help you recall da? After all she was so _willing_ to walk right into my waiting arms, one would think she was asking to get hurt."

Anger flooded Vash's eyes, his fists clenched, and his teeth loudly gnashed together.

"_You will not touch her_," he snarled.

"I will not have to if you tell me what I need to know товарищ," Ivan bit back.

Vash somehow stiffened more, "He is an anonymous writer, we correspond through letters, there is never a return address, and I have never met him. Good day gentlemen." He turned to get out of the vehicle.

Another click sounded behind him and he didn't need to look to know that it was Ivan holding the weapon. "Not good enough," the boss growled.

Vash frowned weighing his options, "He mails me under the name Jejuna Gwin."

"Ah good!" Ivan sang, "We are a talking now! What else? I would like to see some of those letters."

"No, I won't allow it."

"Toris, Francis could you search him please? Something tells me he has at least one thing of interest to us with him."

"Honhonhonhonhon…"

"I'm very sorry about this sir…."

"WAIT NO! DON'T TOUCH ME YOU PERVERTED MONKEY! FINE! HERE IT IS TAKE IT, JUST GET THOSE FILTHY HANDS AWAY FROM ME!"

The Frenchman continued to leer over the flailing blond while Toris just stared unsure of what to do.

Ivan rubbed his temples at the noise finally giving in and taking the envelope in Vash's desperately outstretched hand himself.

"Honhon, next time Mon Cher," Francis blew a kiss at the flustered blond next to him. Vash shuddered.

"There will be no next time you frog."

A tap suddenly sounded at the tinted window. Everyone stopped and stared at it in a dazed silence.

"Open it," Ivan instructed. A red headed man with a cigarette dangling from his mouth leaned in.

"Goo' day uaisle," he smiled, "and lady," he added to Francis who scoffed angrily. "Me brothers and Ay can' help but notice from all the commotion in 'ere that these men might be botherin' ye Mr. Zwingli. Do ye need any 'elp with 'em?"

"It is quite all right Dylan, I was just leaving." The Welshmen nodded and opened the door for Vash who coolly stepped out. After a few feet he stopped and turned back to the Russian's car smirking slightly, "Good luck Mr. Braginski, and be careful. It would be a pity if something were to happen to you, now wouldn't it?"

The back door of the _Gazette_ had never been slammed harder.

Ivan took a look at the letter in his hand before opening it. The article was small compared to the previous one. The envelope indeed read Jejuna Gwin while the article read Khaki Undo. The article complained about the harassment of citizens at the hands of the local mafias. A picture of him sitting at the café table while Francis and Toris collected Yao from across the street resided inside the typed pages. The scene was captured in surprisingly good detail.

He needed to research this strange new player in the game.

~^.^~

Yao sighed as he walked down the street. The normal neighborhood gave him the creeps, kids playing in lawns, birds chirping, the occasional dog barking and cat meowing. It was too, too ordinary. Such a change from the odd occurrences he was used to dealing with. He expected men with guns to jump out at any time, or for a nearby building to just suddenly implode. His tummy rumbled and he whined pitifully as he thought of that morning's particular occurrence. He never did get to replace his cinnamon roll…..

He had a huge bouquet of some kind of pink flower over one of his shoulders, he wasn't sure exactly what kind it was but he hoped his sister liked them. She loved the color pink so maybe….?

He walked up to the door of a depressingly regular house and knocked. A girl with long dark hair answered the door.

"Dàgē!" She exclaimed excitedly in a musical voice, "What a nice surprise!" She looked dryly at the flowers, "You need help with something don't you?"

"What?" Yao scowled, "I bring you something every time I see you!"

The girl chuckled, "That's true too. Well don't just stand there come on in."

~^.^~

_Chip off the Block_ was a busy place at best, especially since the bar decided to install HD TVs for the sports fans. Beer was spilled everywhere and yelling over the football game on screen was heard sporadically throughout the establishment. In the back corner Angelique didn't seem to mind. She just sat watching the game with everyone else, just much quieter.

A woman in a green dress and a pink flower in her long brown hair chased after a skipping blond boy with huge eyebrows down the aisle in which Angelique sat.

"Peter," the woman called, "why don't you go play foosball over there honey?"

"Ok Liza!" the boy called back.

The woman landed in a chair not far from the Monacan, "Kids are a handful!" She laughed jokingly.

"Yes…quite."

"I mean take their friends for example! They always want to hang out but their parents never make any effort to help you make it happen! So you end up going through all the trouble of picking them up, making sure they have everything, and chauffeuring them all over town!"

"So, Peter has lots of friends?"

"Oh yes! I especially adore his cute little friend that's been staying with us!"

_So Ravis got out safely. That's good; everything is going according to plan._ Angelique mused. "I've been having trouble with some children," she stated.

"Bullies?" The other woman probed, Angelique nodded.

"They're so horrible," the specked girl explained, "and they've banded together almost exactly like a _gang_ I just don't know what to do."

"You know Peter is actually quite strong and smart for his age, maybe he can do something about those bullies."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to him to get hurt."

"He won't do anything drastic! Just spy a little. I'm sure he can find out what those kids are up to for you."

Angelique smiled at this, "Why thank you, I'd appreciate it."

The two women continued to talk useless banter until the ball game ended.

"Excuse me for a moment I just won my bet," Angelique went back to her stoic face as she stood.

"As I was saying before knowledge is very important for our youth," Liza smirked.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, in fact there is an informational meeting for parents nurturing their children's education tonight. It will be about how learning to play orchestra music can enhance children's minds."

"Thank you for that intriguing notion. I will have to go collect my money now, goodbye."

"Bye! Come on Peter it's time to go!"

"Do we have to Liza I'm winning!"

The babysitter and kid went one way while the gambler pulled her coat collar up around her face and went the other.

Angelique smiled quietly to herself, today was going well. She'd even made $600 off of her bet.

~^.^~

"Yao!" said man jerked back into the solid world.

"Yeah?" He mumbled.

"Lunch is ready!"

"Right….Mei, is Angelique and Lili part of the Undercovers?"

His sister laughed, "Now how would I know that?"

"Don't lie," Yao chided, "I know you work for them."

Mei chuckled again, "Yes they are. Angelique is one of our main coordinators. Though I'm surprised you picked up on Lili. She only joined recently, and of course you know that "musician" still oversees all of us."

He brother nodded, "I see." They were silent for a moment, their chopsticks clinking together as they ate.

"The Russians are on high alert, this anonymous writer has them on edge. They're also facing the fact that the threat may be one of them. Plus the pressure coming from the incoming Italian mafia isn't doing them any favors."

Yao humphed, "Ivan has enough man power to deal with the invaders. He knows his way around brute force. Traitors are hair rising but he's had them before."

"Khaki Undo though, he's afraid of him. He'll do just about anything to kill that man right now Yao."

Mei grabbed his hand and stared at her brother worry and tears etched into her face.

"Please be careful dàgē, these men are so very dangerous! We've had to avoid them despite how strong our order is, we even lost one of our own recently. If they were to kill you I don't know what I'd do."

"You know why I do this Mei."

"They've been dead for over eight years Yao! It's time to let go!"

"I WILL NEVER LET IT GO ARU!" The Asian man ripped his hand away from his sister violently swiping off the contents of the table in front of him while the tears flooded down Mei's face. (She would later be grateful that he managed to miss the egg drop soup they'd been having.)

The sat in guarded and tense silence, Mei clasped her hands together and stared at them while Yao stayed with his back to her trying to control his breathing.

_**You're a hot mess and I'm fallin' for you and I'm like hot damn-**_

Mei laughed and dried off her eyes at as her phone went off. "Great timing Feliks," she muttered and picked it up.

"_Hey girl! Like how are you?"_

"I'm good thanks Fel."

"_Oh good! I'm just like calling to remind you about the like totally steamy chapter you promised me Mei."_

Yao facepalmed, "You _still_ write those books Mei?"

Mei began to giggle uncontrollably.

"_Like, whose that?"_ Feliks asked.

"It's just my brother Feliks, nothing to worry about," the Taiwanese girl said trying to stifle her giggles.

"_Oh, well in that case, duh! She so totally still writes erotica, she's like my little money maker, you dirty pervert you Mei-Mei!"_ Yao and Mei partially stopped listening for a moment as the front door opened and the sound of footsteps and plastic bags being handled came from the hallway. "_Anyway I also wanted to let you know that you and all the other girlies have a meeting tonight, so don't be late!"_

Kasem, probably the only normal member of the Wang family came into view, groceries strung on his arm and headphones over his ears. He saw his two siblings and pulled off the earbuds while also managing to remove his shoes at the same time.

"Oh hey, Yao! It's been a while ภราดา! What have you been up to? I got more rice and eggplant Mei."

Mei put up her finger to show she was on the phone and Yao moved forward and helped bring the food to the kitchen.

"I've been good. I'm working for a newspaper now, but you probably heard about that."

"Nope! I stay out of this criminal business! No sudden death for me thank you!" Kasem grinned happily at Yao who laughed. _That's actually a good motto_ the Chinese man mused.

"Well how's teaching treating you?" He asked.

"Oh it's wonderful! I love teaching 5th graders! I might get bumped up to 6th next year which I'm not looking forward to but the kids are great so it shouldn't be that bad."

"That's nice, aru."

"It is."

The two brothers put the food away in companionable silence until Mei came stepped into the kitchen also.

"Ok Feliks I'll see you there." She hung up and turned back to her brothers. "I better get ready now."

Yao nodded, "Yes I'm sorry for keeping you. Have fun, and be careful yourself worry wart." She nodded.

"Oh, and Yao?"

"Yeah?"

"We prefer to be called," Kasem put his hands over his ears, "the Appetitores de notitiis occultis, or Appetitores for short, not the undercovers." She paused debating, and her normal brother took his hands away from his head cautiously. "The Ruskies have a delivery of cocaine coming in two or three weeks. The way things are going they might postpone it but who knows. It'll be on the docks."

Yao smiled sadly, "Thanks Mei."

Mei smiled in return.

"I did not hear any of that, _I did not hear any of that_!"

Yao shook his head as he left what a dysfunctional family.

~^.^~

Roderich swore as he made his way through the dark of his home. Why did the night have to be so black in this city like a curse? He held a gorgeous feathered mask in his hand and his period cloak billowed out behind him. He was only just figuring out how to keep it from knocking things down.

It was a bad idea to have this meeting in his home. True it was the safest but it was still inconvenient for him. His house was for creating orchestras not holding dangerous secret meetings, even if he was technically the leader and that the code about teaching kids orchestra music to for his house was easier than the code about gay lovers for Mei's house….

He huffed again as he narrowly missed tipping over another vase.

"Kesesese."

For some abnormal reason Roderich found himself falling backwards off his feet, and two strong arms capturing him in their iron hold.

"Now where might you be going so late at night huh princess?"

"Unhand me you uncultured brute!" the musician hissed back.

"Bad choice of words Roddy," the mystery man chuckled and Roderich felt himself fall further towards the floor. He let out a fearful squeak but was righted again unharmed.

"Kesesesese, I was just kidding specs!"

Roderich narrowed his eyes from behind his jabbed at glasses and growled, "What are you doing in my home Gilbert?"

Said albino just reclaimed his hold on the aristocrat and twirled him around. "I heard you were getting ready to have a party and thought I'd join. Kesese…"

"Gilbert, society meetings are hardly parties. They are important in-"

"In maintaining the flow of information through the world. Yeah, yeah," Gil waved his hand dismissively, "I've heard it all before. The point is I want in on this meeting."

"Impossible! It won't happen you fool!"

Gilbert frowned, "Shit's going down with the Russians and it'll be my ass on fire if I don't know what's going on," he glowered furiously, "Contract killers are the first to go in these situations, we're…_expendable_. Please just this once Roddy?"

Roderich frowned and seriously considered letting this man suffer but decided against it. He sighed, "Fine, you can hide under my chair or something…"

"KESESE, THANKS SPECS! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!"

The lavender eyed man rubbed his temples tiredly, "Of all the unlawful men I could be close acquaintances with I ended up with you."

Gilbert grinned seductively, "Come on princess, you know you love me."

Roderich dodged Gil's probing hand and continued down the hall. "Whatever, we'd better hurry if you wish to have enough time to hide."

~^.^~

The room was lit by candles, fitting for the clothing of its occupants. Roderich flushed under the gray mask that covered, thankfully, most of his face. Subtly he kicked the albino under the table and the wandering hands "wandered" away from his crotch.

A woman in dusk pink dress with a huge bustle was seated just behind him at the long ornate wooden table. A black mask rested on her face and a large book in her lap. In front of her sat a man in a red outfit adorned with gold, a woman in a dark green dress covered in pink roses was next to him. After her was a young boy in white, a man in a ridiculously warm looking outfit of mostly fur stood across from the boy and next to a girl in a traditional Chinese kimono, a short girl with a long blue dress and ribbons dangling from her blonde hair sat next, and a man in a brown coat with a puffin in his lap sat diagonally from Roderich's left.

The musician stood and cleared his throat. "Let us begin this meeting. You will all notice that we are missing a member of our order. Aleksander Balakov was a prized member of the Appetitores who took risks many of us were not willing to make. He gathered much information that we could not and will be sorely missed. Let us have a moment of silence for his passing."

Everyone stood and bowed their heads.

"Appetitores de notitiis occultis," the woman in pink murmured and everyone mimicked in in unison.

"So let's get started," Roderich began and sat back down, everyone once again following, "What have we got?"

"My brother is in the game," The Asian girl spoke up.

"You told him about us?" The woman to Roderich's right hissed.

The girl in the kimono shook her head angrily, "No! He guessed. He is very attuned to these things and very smart. He won't betray our secret."

"What have you told him?" The man in red asked.

"Nothing much. He guessed at the Librarian's and the Writer's membership among us, not to mention mine. He guessed the Musician's long ago. I gave him the information of Ivan's drug movement set in two weeks."

Roderich nodded, "Yes our sources say that his shipment will come in as planned."

Not unnoticed by the woman in pink or the "Librarian" as was her code name, Roderich suddenly stiffened and pulled at his cravat a little.

The woman in green leaned back into her chair contemplating, "Yao could be very useful to us. We would all like to see Braginski fall out of power," everyone nodded in agreement, "This new player could be just what we need to turn the tables."

"I have worked with Yao, his methods are slightly unorthodox but effective. There is no one like him out there. If anyone can bring Ivan down it is him," the man in the brown coat granted. The group mulled this over.

"The Island Mercenaries are in town. Vash Zwingli hired them to protect his workers," the girl in blue spoke up. In Roderich's lap Gilbert stiffened.

"Yep!" the boy in white exclaimed, "I'll be scouting out things for you and my brothers!" _They'll have to recognize me now!_

"Scout," the woman in green scolded while everyone facepalmed, "calm down please."

Roderich coughed his face appearing slightly red, "Yes…moving on with business…" the boy scowled.

"Indeed," the Librarian's voice was businesslike as usual, "The Help and I have assigned areas of highest priority to those with the most experience in the department."

The man in the fur spoke up, "I'm way ahead of you girl," he pulled out folders from his coat, "Here are your assigned areas guys. There are no names on them as like usual and nothing is labeled but you should still totally know how to read them. I don't have to like remind you guys that these cannot, cannot, _cannot_ fall into enemy hands."

He pulled a light gray folder, "Ice this one is for you, basically just stick to the information on the internet k? Oh, and keep tabs on Eduard and Ivan's other henchmen dudes, that jerk Francis and the hotty Toris. Alfred isn't due back from England for a while yet." The folder was slid down the table to the man with the puffin.

A pink folder was set next to the girl in the kimono, "Paramour honey, this one's yours. Keep an eye out for the Rest of Yao's family. He and Ivan have a dinner rendezvous at _The Green Olive_ tomorrow night so see if you can use your high gay smut writer status to snag yourself table and a date so you can listen in on their conversation."

The girl giggled, "Of course!"

"Bullfighter." A gold folder was handed over.

"Writer." Blue.

"Rose." Green.

"Scout." White.

The short man skipped up to the Librarian and handed her a black folder.

"Here is the overview of everyone else's stuff and the odds and ends no one in particular is assigned to."

He turned to Roderich and slyly leaned towards him a purple folder in hand.

"You have one too, as well as your assignment."

He then winked down at Gilbert who gave a small wave.

Roderich cleared his throat again, "Thank you Help for assisting us in spite of not actually being an affiliate of our order."

"Don't like mention it! I love to "help" though to be honest I think it'd be really dangerous to add my name to your roster."

The rest of the meeting was short and tense.

The woman in pink was the first to get up and leave. She knew _exactly_ who was under the table.

The woman in green, Rose, caught on as well and shook her head as she exited.

~^.^~

It had been a few hours since everyone had left and Roderich leaned over the arm of his chair with his face in his hands Gilbert lounged in a similar position where the man with the puffin had sat.

"Damn, Braginski hired me to oversee that shipment," the albino grumbled. Roderich said nothing.

"I don't want to be involved in it if it goes wrong. I'll have to disappear for a while." He lowered his head into his arms. "Fuck this is a mess."

Roderich still didn't comment.

He looked up at the aristocrat, "Dude Roddy what's your problem?"

The musician sat up in a flash.

"What's my problem?" He hissed, "You want to know what my _problem is?_"

Gilbert put his hands up in defense as Roderich advanced on him, "No actually, I don't think I do."

Roderich grinned evilly as the tides changed in his favor.

"Well that's just too bad isn't it?"

**Long time no see readers!**

_**Translations:**_

**Товарищ****: Comrade in Russian**

**Dàgē****: big brother in Chinese**

ภราดา**:**** Brother in Thai**

**Kasem is Thailand**

**If you didn't catch it Eliza and Angel were talking in code about Ravis escaping the mafia and the meeting at Roderich's house in the Football/ Bar/ Kids are a handful scene. Yes I ship Sealand X Latvia. Pretty hardcore really…**

_**Appetitores code names:**_

**Rose- Hungary or Elizaveta**

**Bullfighter- Spain or Antonio**

**Scout- Sealand or Peter**

**Musician- Austria or Roderich**

**The Help- Poland or Feliks**

**Librarian- Monaco or Angelique**

**Paramour- Taiwan or Mei**

**Writer- Liechtenstein or Lili**

**Ice- Iceland or Emil**

**Everyone's code name has to do with something in their normal life. Lili is a newspaper writer, Angelique works at a library (hopefully that will be covered in the next chapter), Paramour refers to Mei's job as an erotic novelist, Roderich is a musician (really, we all had no idea XD ), Ice is because Emil is from Iceland, Scout is because Peter's main job is scouting, and Hungary always has some kind of rose in her hair. The Help refers to Feliks helping but not being a member. Antonio's name meaning will hopefully be revealed in the next chapter as well. Bulgaria's, or Aleksander's was Risk because of his already mentioned risk taking, idk if that will ever actually come up again…..**

**It's getting good guys!**


	5. Dinner For Three

Elizaveta moved quietly through her rounds, from patient to patient. The Hungarian woman was on her last leg as her shift had started directly after the Appetitores meeting. She sighed heavily, rubbing her tired eyes with the back of her hand.

It hadn't been a very good morning.

They had lost two teenagers in the ER shortly after she arrived. Drunk driving wasn't uncommon in the city and it wasn't the first time Elizaveta had lost a patient to it. That didn't stop the haunting images of the teens' bloodied forms out of her mind. She was so tired of death.

Checking the time Eliza breathed a sigh of relief as she realized she got off soon. She just had a house call to make and she'd be done. She collected the necessary medication and hopped into her car and headed for Weavers Way.

~^.^~

Angelique was content; she had the day off from the _Gazette_ and was relaxing at her volunteer job at a library. Hardly anyone had been in and her boss had been too busy sleeping to give her any work. He was currently curled up over a book with a cat purring quietly by his head.

The Monacan frowned at his unprofessional manner. Honestly how did this man run a library, let alone a business? She glanced at the clock, disheartened at how early it still was. Only 9:47, she wouldn't get off for hours.

Angel had resigned herself to boredom when a thick dark skinned man threw open the door with a crash. He stomped his way over to the main librarian and kicked him awake.

"Hey you little shit," the man took a second to take a drag off his cigar, "where's my shipment?"

Hercules Karpusi came out of his mini coma slowly, his cat having long since run off in fear of the angry Cuban invader.

"In the back, there's a delay on the powder though. Russian's are having trouble loading it in."

The dreadlocked man crossed his arms and huffed loudly. Hercules sighed.

"I have some but it's old and no good. _Someone_ didn't make it right."

"_Someone_?"

"Their face was a little too bloody to make out when I found him."

"Hmph."

The men continued to conduct their business as if Angelique wasn't present. She listened in a little not really caring as she read her book.

All in the day of a triple agent.

~^.^~

The drive to Weavers was a scenic one. Trees and expensive houses lined both sides of the road. Forever a reminder of whose house it was Eliza was heading to. She finally reached the gate to the Edelstein residence, already open in anticipation of her coming; it was still a ten minute drive to the house itself.

_I get to go in the front this time_, the she mused as she unlocked the door of the red brick building. The house was pristine and sparkling with beautiful artwork and pottery everywhere. Elizaveta ignored them in favor of heading up the long winding staircase.

The second floor was less decorated than the first, only a few paintings and rows and rows of doors. Eliza stopped by the third and only closed door. Warily she knocked. There was rustling before the entrance was opened a crack.

"Ah, good day Eliza," Roderich smiled tightly pushing the door open enough to step out.

The green eyed girl smiled warmly despite the cold greeting, "Hello Roderich, I have your medication." She swung a medical bag off her shoulder.

"How kind," the musician derided watching as Eliza rifled through the bag for the correct bottle. He tapped his foot as he watched. She finally hit gold but accidently dropped it back into the bag, causing her to start the search all over again.

Roderich growled in frustration. "Could you please hurry up?" He almost snarled as the nurse fumbled with the container, "I have a very important rehearsal soon! Not to mention my daily house chores, a meeting with a very important music producer and-!"

Elizaveta frowned, "I thought you hired a maid and cut back on work." The violet eyed man crossed his arms and wouldn't meet her eyes. "Roderich! I've told you and told you not to put yourself under so much stress! It isn't good for your condition!" She scolded harshly, "Do you have any idea what-"

"Elizaveta!" Roderich brutally silenced her, "I am perfectly capable of living my own life without having to lock myself away like some cancer patient!"

The two adults glared heatedly before the Austrian looked away in shame, though the fire in his eyes didn't dim in the least.

"Here's your daily dosage call if you need anything. Tell the idiot I said hi." The words were made of steel and when Roderich was brave enough to look up from the meds in his hand all he could see was his nurse's rim rod retreating back.

He sighed swallowing his pills thickly before returning to the room and downing a cup of water. He proceeded to flop down unto the bed where a pale arm curled around his torso. He turned away from the soft face that buried itself into his shoulder.

"Elizaveta says hello."

"Kesese, bitchy as ever."

"Shut up."

"And deprive you of the sound of mien awesome voice? Not a chance."

A pregnant pause.

"Roddy?"

"Hm?"

"Isn't Leukemia practically the same thing as cancer?"

"_Shut up_ Gilbert."

"Kesesese, never."

Roderich rolled out of bed, "I need to get ready for that rehearsal."

Gilbert grumbled, "And I need to get out of town." He slid out of bed only to fall into a heap on the floor. "DAMN HIPS!"

Roderich couldn't stifle a chortle at that.

~^.^~

Vash paced in front of his employees, sans Angelique, commanding their attention in a military fashion.

"All right, listen up people! We're getting into hotter and hotter water by the day. Two of our own have already been lost in this ordeal and to ensure it doesn't happen again I've hired these fine persons," he motioned a group of four unruly burly men and a dangerous looking woman, "to keep you safe."

"Tha's righ." The biggest most red headed of them stepped forward, "Me family and ay will be tailin' ye kiddies until this shite settles down. Hopefully it won' interfere with yer routines."

Vash nodded, "Thank you Allistor."

They continued to give the reporters and photographers the lay down until Yao piped up. "I can't have you tailing me tonight."

Vash looked up in surprise, "And why is that?"

"I have a date," Yao stated giving a hard look at his employer. Fortunately the Swiss man seemed to understand fairly quickly.

"Right no one follows Mr. Wang. Now on with work…"

~^.^~

Thumping beats reverberated throughout the club and bodies pressed together in a sweaty hot mess. Sex and adrenaline pumped its way through the crowd making it hard to maneuver but the white haired man did so with ease, slipping through the multitude like a ghost.

Despite the apparent darkness of the establishment it was still daylight out, causing the number of people on the dance floor to be lower than normal. As it was Gilbert still cursed the amount of time the horde made him waste getting to the bar. The bartender said nothing when he caught sight of the albino, he just slide over a small shot glass with a cherry etched into the side and went back to cleaning the counter.

The hired killer picked it up without a word turning back to the wiggling mass and disappearing.

~^.^~

"Now yer sure ye can handle this?"

Yao sighed for the umpteenth time, "Yes Conner I am in complete control of this situation."

The Irishmen snorted, "We're talkin' 'bout Braginski here laddie, there's no such thing as "in control."

Yao said nothing as he stared into his closet. The memories stayed submerged this time but that didn't make it any easier. He knew what he had to do, with or without the reminders. He pulled out his nicest, really his only nice, jacket pulling it on with gusto and announcing, "Right seven o'clock, time for me to go and you," he pointed at Conner, "to stay."

~^.^~

Gilbert was transfixed on the server's bright red heels as he approached. Shiny platforms and six inch heels, to him they looked like a death trap from hell, nonetheless he flashed the cute girl his flirtiest wink and a look at the shot glass. She giggled appreciatively and stepped away from the door, even opening it for him.

"You have a good evening sir," she purred in his ear as he passed.

Gil smirked; she was good looking. It was too bad he was busy tonight.

Two other men awaited him as he entered the dim billiards room. "Bitch didn't hold the door for me," A dark haired masked man threw him a stick.

"Kesesese, that's because you're about as charming as corpse kanake."

Gilbert couldn't see the man's eyes but from Sadiq's tensed shoulders he figured the bigger man was pissed.

"What," the albino sneered, "can't take a little racism? That's rich coming from a terrorist."

The Turkish man's hands balled into fists and he leaned forward ready to charge at the Ger-Prussian.

"Enough you two!" a heavily accented voice rang out. Both men turned towards the Asian man perched atop a stack of chairs, "We are here on important business and cannot afford to waste our time fighting amongst ourselves," he leaned back on his haunches, "I will kill you myself if you do not stop."

Gilbert chuckled crossing his arms and leaning against the wall while Sadiq growled but dropped his arms and stood down. The darkest of the three took his turn at the game. He completely missed and snarled at Gilbert when he approached the table. The red eyed man proceeded to sink three balls at once.

"You're too tense my man," he grinned sinking one more, "You gotta loosen up, live a little."

Sadiq mocked him, "I'm sure a butcher like you would know all about living."

Gilbert jerked hitting the ball at an odd angle and missing all the other balls wholly. He glared murderously at the Turk.

"At least I don't beat and kill woman and children," he snarled.

"Only because no one offered you money to do so," Sadiq threw back.

"No, you're right," Gil drawled, "because I don't work for arrogant rich government motherfuckers with no honor."

"And the Italians are so honorable!"

"They have pride and discipline. I have never felt filthy after doing a job for them."

"Pa-lease stop kidding yourself. I saw what they did in Sicily. That wasn't honor that was genocide!"

"As if you're any better!"

They stopped before they came to blows, better to glare from the opposite ends of the table then be chopped up by a samurai sword.

Gil took a deep breath. "Well what do you think Lien?" he chuckled looking up at their calm companion.

"I think," the man stated jumping down to the concrete floor his long black ponytail trailing behind him, "that you talk too much." He sunk five balls, then two, followed by four. The bigger men stared in awe as Lien cleared the table.

"I think that means I win."

The door opened and yet another stoic Asian walked into the room.

Lien hissed feeling the hairs on his neck raise, "You!" he howled.

"Ah shit," Gilbert muttered "Fucking hell," Sadiq echoed. They jumped in between their fellow killers._ Asian!_ Gilbert cried out in his head, _Why are they always Asian? Even that freakin' reporter is one!_

"Greetings," the newcomer hissed out maliciously, "it's been a while, _sister_."

Sadiq and Gil froze.

"SISTER?!" They looked at their currently androgynous acquaintance, "YOU'RE A WOMAN?!"

Lien glanced at them from the corner of her eye, "Men," she spit, "you are all fools." She turned back to her brother glaring but she stepped aside regardless. "Welcome," she intoned bowing her head a little. The tension in the room dissipated greatly. The game was abandoned instantly despite the gathering around the table.

"We have a problem," Lien started back on her perch.

Gilbert nodded, "We have some shit going down in this city. Roma is stirring the pot with Braginski. He's planning to take over."

Sadiq put his two bits in, "He's succeeding. I did a job for him last week, it was a flying success. The man knows what he's doing."

"There is an unknown man picking fights with the Russians. He is exposing them for what they are," Lien jerked her head in Gilbert's direction, "he says," the door opened again and designer clothed blonde waltzed in, "that this new player is planning to crash the exchange between the Columbians and Braginski's men."

The Prussian nodded in agreement leaning forward he clasped his hands under his chin, "A lot of us were hired to oversee that exchange. I suggest any of us on the payroll for that job pulls out. Being present may cause problems later."

"Francis," he acknowledged, the Frenchmen smiled doing a mock curtsey.

The unnamed man looked up, "Are we a team now? As I know it contract killers don't generally band or work together. Why tell us these things?"

Gil sighed leaning back again, "I won't lie, I have a bone to pick with each and everyone one of you assholes but I,.I.. Goddammit! I still respect you and I'd rather work with/ against you people than some other dumbasses. Contract killers work for everyone and we know something about everything. That makes us prime targets and if we aren't careful it can be held against us."

"Honorable," the man praised, "I am safe, no one even knows I am in town."

"I will pull out," Lien added.

Sadiq said nothing for a few moments. "I can't pull out," he alleged, "I need the money too badly. Business has been down lately."

"I thought you said you did a job for the Italians last week?" Lien questioned.

"My only job in almost six months, I'm on my last leg here."

"And you have someone you care about involved in the delivery," Gilbert murmured. Sadiq's hackles immediately rose while almost everyone else in the room sat in thoughtful silence.

"No judgment dude, just saying we understand." Most members of the gathering had someone involved in this mess that they cared deeply about for one reason or another.

"No," said the anonymous Asian, "I have no one and neither should you!" he glared angrily at Lien. "Your brother will cause nothing but trouble!"

"He is your brother too!" the woman defended, "Furthermore I have not seen him in three years!" The rest of the room ignored the argument and the siblings quieted.

Gil and Francis's gazes didn't leave their shoes. The Turkish man's pride wouldn't allow him to say thank you to the Prussian but he vowed to pay him back somehow.

"I am much the same mon amis," Francis put in, "Ivan will hold Alfred's life over my head if I refuse."

"Dude," his albino friend whistled, "You need to get out of there."

"I have been trying for two years Gil. He doesn't let people like me go so easily. Besides, he pays well. I'm just glad it won't be my head on the chopping block if this one goes awry."

"Agreed," Sadiq and Lien confirmed.

"It's time to go," the still unidentified man declared, "staying any longer could be dangerous."

Francis was the last to stand up. Sadiq took the back door out while Gil and Francis started out the way they came. Lien opened the window letting in the cool night breeze. She hopped up onto the ledge surprising both French and Prussian parties.

"Mademoiselle, we are on the third floor…"

She leapt disappearing into the darkness.

"Well damn," Sadiq muttered, "I didn't think we hurt her feelings that bad."

They waited but it was apparent there would be no crashing finale.

"How did you know she was a woman?" Gilbert asked through clenched teeth.

"Mon ami," Francis chimed, "When you have been in as many beds as me it is easy to differentiate sexes." Gilbert deadpanned causing Francis to shrug. "Lien is a very feminine name."

"Differentiate sexes my ass," the Prussian muttered shutting the door behind him.

~^.^~

Yao discovered that the main residence of the Braginski family was actually quite beautiful. The house was a pale grey, not blaringly bright but not darkly unfriendly either, and not as large as some expensive houses yet large enough to be pricey. Bushes covered in flowers lined the foundation and fruit trees littered the yard. Yao could just make out a sunflower field in the back.

He made a mental note of that to store in the back of his mind.

The driver opened the door for him and a doorman awaited him at the entrance of the household. He stepped into plush red carpet and a candle lit hallway, twice the extravagance of the townhouse he knew Lily had experienced a few days before.

A strange bouncing sound echoed off the walls confusing the poor reporter, he turned frantically looking for the cause only to come face to face with the cutest smiling countenance he'd ever seen. No mean feat, he'd raised seven cute faced children. The source of the noise he found were the woman's gigantic boobs. There was no other way to word it, her tits we huge.

"Privet!" the girl greeted with a bounce of her chest, "I am Katyusha, Ivan's older sister! If you follow me I will take you to the living room."

"Not the parlor?" You quietly joked.

"Oh no! The parlor is for business! You are a friend therefor I take you to the living room."

"Uh, okaaayyy."

Eduard stopped them in the hallway pulling Kat aside to whisper in her ear, "У нас есть зацепка на Jejuna Гвин. We need you in room five." The busty woman smiled a happy closed mouth grin and loudly skipped off leaving Yao alone by his destination.

_This situation is about as weird as that woman….._

Yao didn't want to admit that he was impressed with the simplistic beauty of the house but as he entered the "living room" he had to. All of the furniture was antique and damn if Yao didn't love history. There was only one thing that didn't sit well with him.

A huge painting hung above the fireplace, that itself wasn't unusual and neither was the fact that it was a portrayal of a very imposing Russian man. Oddly the picture seemed…cold. Yao's artistic mind deduced that the painter of this portrait did not like the object very much. Hints of hostility came out in the dark shadowing and the snowy backdrop of the heavily uniformed male. This man was a tyrant.

"Ah Yao-Yao! I see you find my grandfather's portrait to be intriguing da?"

Yao turned to see Ivan enter fully dressed to the nines. (t was a good thing he'd dressed up too, just in case.) He looked back at the painting. "Your, grandfather?"

"Da, he was known as General Winter to his people and to the Russians winter is very terrifying thing. It says much of his accomplishments and disposition"

Yao frowned, "I can see that."

"See what?"

"The tyranny."

Ivan frowned displeased with this, though he wouldn't argue with the assessment. "It is in the Braginski blood."

"No," Yao spoke quietly, turning back once again to his adversary "I didn't say that as a reflection upon the Braginskis." He let that sink in. "This man seems cold, oppressive, and unique. This picture speaks of starvation, repression, and death. He had an evil all his own, and it was evil."

Ivan was flabbergasted, did this man understand? He stared peculiarly at the reporter, an unreadable expression though for once Yao wasn't afraid of what he couldn't comprehend. "Yes, yes he did," Ivan let on softly.

~^.^~

Sadiq had to admit, books looked scary in the dark. Dust motes shown in the moonlight and the rows and rows of intimidating bookcases were kinda creeping him out.

Cautiously he wandered around in the silver light until he came across a large shadowed figure in a heap on the floor.

A screech rang through the air making Sadiq jump in fright and throw his hands up in defense. Something soft with claws attached itself to his wrist and he swayed his arms trying to lob it into space. The animal went flying and hit the side of the some of the shelving before flying off hissing and spitting in rage.

Sadiq doubled over breathing heavily hands on his knees, "Just a fucking cat, goddammit…"

"Such a brute," a mellow voice floated towards him, a small glint of light mildly blinding him. He looked up to see an angel, shinning cross and all. Well, to him Hercules was an angel, though he'd never tell anyone that. He wouldn't even tell himself. It was only in those first few moments that he saw Hercules that Sadiq could truly appreciate the Greek man's beauty. After that politics and grudges got in the way.

"You couldn't even get along with a saint," Herc continued, "Uncultured swine."

"I take offense to that! I'll have you know that I've been to the very far reaches of the world. Farther than you've ever been!"

"Who cares?" Hercules quipped, "You're still a moron."

"I'm not here to fight with you!" Sadiq ground out.

"Oh," Hercules laughed, "but isn't that what you do best? Start conflicts?"

The Turk didn't answer. The cat lover calculated the killer before him, trying to glean his motives.

"What are you doing here?"

"You in on the drug exchange in a couple of weeks?" Sadiq asked disregarding the inquiry.

"Of course I am, it **is**__my company delivering the goods," Hercules took a deep breath, "Tell me what you're doing here Sadiq."

The contract killer curled in on himself resting on a bookcase, silently contemplating his response.

"I don't want my last memory of you to be of us fighting."

It was the last thing that Hercules ever wanted to hear, it put him immediately on edge.

"Get out of here," he ordered slipping back into the labyrinth of the bookcases, "I don't want to see your face anymore."

In that moment Sadiq thought he might cry, but the moment passed like so many before it and he scoffed instead.

"Fucking hell, look at me, a small threat of death and I'm acting like a wimpy grandma! God."

~^.^~

A hand shot out and grabbed Roma's sleeve as he walked through the dimmed office complex. Aldrich threw up his gun at the threat but only a breathless Spaniard stepped out of the darkness.

"Sir," he addressed the mafia boss. Roma gestured for his German bodyguard to lower his weapon.

"Antonio!" the Italian exclaimed joyfully, "How are you? Treating my grandson well I hope?"

"As well as I can sir," Antonio vowed, "I wanted you to know I'd protect Lovino with my life, I love him."

Roma chuckled lightly, "Yes I think your persistence to court him despite his unfriendliness proved that."

"I also care for Romano."

The elder men froze defense mechanisms on high alert.

"I think that part of Lovino deserves to see the light again too but that will never happen if he avoids his familia."

"What are you suggesting?" the mafia boss probed.

"In two weeks the Russians will be receiving a shipment of cocaine as they have been unable to do so until now. Everyone is scared, restless, dangerous, and unpredictable. I need you to make sure Lovino is safe, if he stays with you his life is in secure hands and his ties with the family may be renewed."

"Our men could easily make that transaction a failure," Aldrich spoke up, "We've had a hard time making Braginski's life a living hell and this could be a perfect opportunity."

"You're right old friend," old Mr. Vargas granted.

"No!" Antonio burst out, "It is too dangerous both the Appetitores and the _Gazette_ are making moves to bring down the Russian mob if your men are present what is already a dangerous situation will turn fatal! Anyone present then will be hunted down and killed!"

Roma studied Antonio for an instant, "How do you know that the Appetitores will be there?"

The Spaniard frowned but kept his mouth shut. A light bulb went off in both of the older men's heads.

"Antonio," Roma put a hand on the younger man's shoulder, "this is a menace I have to face. This business isn't risk free and I have almost all my cards on the table for this one. I need to make a move or all of our hard work up till now means nothing," he smiled sympathetically, "I hope you understand."

A retreating back was the only response.

"That conversation sounded so serious ve…" Roma laughed turning to his taking his cowering grandson under his arm and out of the shadows he was hiding in.

"It was Feli! It was! Mr. Carriedo, where will you be on that night?"

"Working, where else would I be?"

"Sounds like a lot of effort."

Antonio smirked, "Reporting is a form of art sir."

"Oooo I love art!" Feliciano laughed, "Oh wait Antonio! I forgot to ask. Lovino wanted to know why they call you Bullfighter!"

"Because I take life by the horns," the Spaniard muttered.

"That boy is putting himself on the chopping block. Lovino can no longer be allowed around him," Roma ordered.

Feliciano looked down in sadness, Aldrich stood straighter with resolve.

"Yes sir."

~^.^~

Chandeliers hung everywhere, the restaurant was well lit and a place to be seen. Extravagant dresses, elegant suits, ridiculously expensive dishes the size of ones palm, it was all a man on a mafia budget could ask for.

Yao hated it.

This sort of financial waste disgusted him. There were people starving in this city and instead of feeding them the money went into places like this!

_Stupidity!_ The young man seethed. Ivan sat across from him oblivious to his discomfort (or just conveniently ignoring it) and if Yao looked hard enough he caught sight of a pink clad back with cascading brown curls swooped over it at the next table over.

_Goddammit Mei!_

"Yao-Yao talk to me!" Ivan instructed, "We are trying to get to know each other da?"

"I feel no reason to start a conversation, you talk. _You_ invited _me_ after all."

"You're right I did! Tell me about your childhood."

"It was boring."

"There must be more than that, tell me about school."

Yao sighed, "I didn't like school so much when I was younger but when I got into the last stages of middle school I realized how important it was, my grades when up pretty fast after that."

"Da, I remember seeing that report card." Yao rolled his eyes in contempt.

_Why ask me these things if you can figure it out yourself? Aiya!_

"Why don't you tell me something about yourself?" He asked.

"Me?" Ivan turned a finger to point at in his own direction, "There is nothing to tell. My grandfather raised me in Russia till I was twelve then we moved here, to the land of opportunity and freedom."

"Yeah, opportunity," the poorer man muttered under his breath.

"That was rude Yao-Yao. I don't remember inviting an ill-mannered individual to have dinner with me."

"And I remember saying nowhere fancy," Yao tossed back glaring Ivan glaring right back.

A waiter laid down their salads breaking their connection. Ivan picked at his vegetables while asking his next question. "How is life going for you Yao?"

"Why do you care?"

"I was just being polite."

The brown eyes blinked sheepish and a little flattered, "Oh well then. I've been busy at work but I like having things to do so that doesn't bother me."

Ivan smiled kindly, "That is good, what about your personal life?"

"No offense but between you and the Gazette I have no time to do anything else but sleep."

"They must work you too hard then, I know I'm not that demanding of you."

I love working at the _Gazette_, the people there are great." Yao argued.

"Oh I'm sure they are," the mafia lord waved his hand dismissively, "but because of them you have no time for anyone else!"

"I'm here with you."

"I'm sure you have many other acquaintances as well. People just as amazing as you, and I'm _sure_ some of them are quite _startling_ in their actions aren't they_?_"

Yao halted, "You still think I know something about the anonymous writer."

"It has crossed my mind, and we are here to swap information are we not?"

"Tell me about the murder of Aleksander Balakov."

Ivan giggled, "Oh silly Yao, I can't tell you something like that!"

"It would be a fair trade considering the trouble I'd get into telling you what you want to know."

They crossed their arms staring off again.

"Tell me about your family then, I'm sure you have some of those at least."

"I'd rather not."

"Why?"

Yao was at a loss for words, "I, well um. I, I don't talk to any of them anymore."

Lavender eyes laughed at him, "Are you leading too dangerous a life style to involve them in?"

"That's not it," Yao hissed, "We just had different views on too many things!"

"Like what?"

The reporter said nothing, only turning a dark beet red. Ivan put two and two together and had a hay day with that one.

"I think I know what you're saying! It's ok Yao-Yao not everyone likes Katyusha's chest! Besides I know what the effect of men like me on men like you."

'Yao-Yao' turned a different, deadlier shade of red, "No! How dare you aru!"

"In all honesty though, would Yao-Yao blush that much at a secret like that or is there something more going on?"

"Stop," Yao commanded deadly quiet. Ivan's eyes widened surprised with the sudden hostility.

"Yao…?"

"I am tired of being insulted by the likes of you. I came here expecting to have a civilized dinner to exchange information as equals. All you have been is a condescending child. You have tried to use me without giving anything in return and you have made fun of who I am."

Yao stood suddenly the meal forgotten, "Honestly I expected more from a _gentlemen_."

The end of the speech was accented with hands slamming down onto the table and Yao making a dramatic exit.

"Wow," the Russian turned towards a nasally annoying voice, "You sure know how to treat a lady." A cocky man in a tuxedo laughed taking a sip of his drink. Embarrassed his pink attired date hid her face in in her white silk gloves.

~^.^~

"I don't," Ivan giggled wildly, "remember inviting you into my business!" His pipe hit the restaurants brick siding dust flying everywhere.

The tuxedo man didn't look so smug anymore cowering in the dirty alleyway. "What the fuck man!" He screamed.

"You were listening to our whole conversation, (A conversation that Ivan's itty bitty little almost nonexistence conscious flinched at the thought of) which is very rude da? There was only supposed to be two people at our table, no room for you."

The other man stumbled back sputtering desperately, "But, but I had a date what about her? I swear that woman is more dangerous than I am!"

Ivan thought about this a second, "Well, I guess it was only supposed to be a dinner for three then."

A whooshing sound accompanied by a wet slosh rang out and then there was silence.

~^.^~

Lili huffed as she ran up the street. She was soooooo late for work. Vash was making her take a day off but she wanted to surprise him by showing up. Today she would do everything he told her without causing trouble.

She felt a little bad about their fighting lately. All big bruder wanted was to keep her safe, Lili just wished he'd realize she wasn't made of glass.

The teen was cursing he inability to learn to drive as she watched the cars zoom past her.

"Hey kid!" A male voice called out, "Care for a ride?"

"I'm sorry sir, my brother told me not to except rides from strange men," she turned to smile at the driver. He flashed a badge in her direction.

"Get in menina, we have some questions to ask you."

_What did I do wrong?!_ Lili cursed whilst a female cop emerged from the unmarked car and pulled her inside.

~^.^~

The whole office noticed Yao's anger the next morning. He slammed the taxi door shut, cursed his way up the front steps, and stomped down the halls snapping at anyone who asked him what was wrong.

That all stopped when he got to his small desk. The tiny surface was covered in red roses. Not pink, or yellow, or white, they were as red as love and a small card sat in the middle reading 'For lastnight'.

Abruptly his phone rang.

"I'm not apologizing," Ivan Braginski spat out quickly hanging up.

_Not apologizing? _Yao's face twitched in agitation while his heart raced a million miles an hour.

**Hi guys! Sorry it took me so long to update I forbid myself from updating until I finished the next chapter for my other story Lackluster. I had major roadblock on that one T.T I reread the last chap of Deadly and realized I called Dylan an Irishman when he's Welsh. I went and fixed that. *Facepalm* Can you believe that this chapter was originally planned to be part of the last chapter?**

**Things that you may want to know:**

**Lien is Vietnam**

**The unknown man is North Korea; you'll learn his name later.**

**Menina****: Portuguese for miss, girl ect.**

**У нас есть зацепка на Jejuna Гвин****: We have a lead on Jejuna Gwyn**

**Kanake****: I needed a racist term for Gil to call Sadiq and when I searched Google for discriminatory word for Turkish people this it seemed perfect. It is German racist slang most commonly used to refer to Turkish immigrants.**

**I for plot sake I gave Austria leukemia something I know almost nothing about so if I have some kind of inaccuracies on that somebody please let me know.**

**THANK YOU MY ONLY TWO REVIEWERS!**

**Candybook you make me excited to update! Seriously your reviews make me want to weep for joy. You are a writer's dream come true!**

**Marukaite Chikyuu thank you for the critique! It made me think about the words I use a little more!**

**These guys are awesome, readers please take note.**

**Shit gets real next chapter my kiddies so stay tuned ;)**


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